Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-07-22

w NS~ ed partisan, but
E=EZ--Jreally robber bands
wEsTcHEsTER COUNTY. adhering to the
crown on one side and the colonies on the
other. On the southeast every inlet from
Hellgate and the approaches to the Sound has
its own tradition Of the landing of British and
Hessians, and skirmish between them and
the militia, while down the center of the
county runs the classic Bronx, on which is
the capital Of the county, White Plains, a
lovely suburban town, which gives name to
that series Of skirmishes, panics, rushes adj
vances and retreats that made the region
lively and made history rapidly in brown Oc-
tober, Ill years ago.
Xxx
Westminster county is shaped about like the
hind leg Of Percheron Norman horse, with
slight modification like that of a broken
backed salamander; on the west the bends of
the Hudson preserve the Hogarthian lines of
beauty fairly well, and on the southeast the
ragged outlines Of bay and sound are almost
Symmetrical, but where the line is man
made it is badly marred, for the triangular
boundary between county and state on one
side and Connecticut on the other there is
but one eypfanation-when the colonial sur
veyors did the job, the brush was very thick
and rum was very cheap. Hence that amaz-
ing double 2 in the interstate boundary.
which runs south, southeast west-southwest
and then southeast again, from the northeast
corner of Westchester to Portchester ON the
sound. All this, however, has nothing to do
with the battle field where have lust spent a
delghtful day, with a journalistic compan-
ION who kindly accompanies me in strange
places as guide, philosopher and friend. TAX
ing the New York and Harlem division of the
Va
depot ON Forty street in New York. we
whizzed through the suburbs for thirty eight
minutes and detrained mot debarkecD at
White Plains, twenty three miles from the
heart of the CITY, We struck it Just at the
right time, for there had been revival of
Interest in revolutionary "reminiscences.
caused by the unearthing of shell in
an excavation near the depot The shell
had not exploded and the powder could
still be seen, but the neck had corroded
and the thing was harmless. Not long ago
harry Dykeman, son of the venerable Judge
Dykeman, found one of the abandoned
American cannon where it had been CON
cealed just before the retreat its position
when found being two feet under the surface.
so one mortar, two cannons and a shell have
been found within few years. besides the
three skeletons unearthed from the gravel of
Charleston's Hill when the new road was con-
structed. The last discovered cannon now
has gorgeous setting; an evergreen square
in front of the Dykemun ma sion incloses il
as II 1t marked the tomb of loved one gone |
while all around are such lovely trees. sucb |
smooth green swards, that one is almost per- |
suaded the whole history is a myth and there |
are no such things as war and wanton killine. |
IN so lovely world. But when we 90 east. |
ward from the town we find indications of
wealth and luxury that would have amnzed
Washington if he could have imagined what
thls ground would show in another century,
westward from White Plains is the noted
bronx, a stream rod wide and six inches
ieep during the June rise. just west of il a
beautiful winding turnpike passes over Chat
Ierton Hill, were the only regular battle tool
place. On the eth of October, 1916, Colone,
Haslett, with 1000 men, fortified the hill.
next morning early Colonel McDougal and
Alexander Hamilton, the latter with two
pieces OF artillery, joined him there, and at
10 a. m. the British and Hessans, with at
east ll,ooO men, moved to the attack. In
ne direct assault they were repuse,i with
1eavy losses. They moved westward and
iaiikea the Americans right, driving the lat
81 from Tile mil after short but spirited en-
5a3ement. Washington soon concentrated
lfter some skirlnish ng retrea ed SLOWLY and
N the 18th of November the main army
r"ssed into New Jersey, leaving the New
england troops on the east of the Hudson tn
efeni the highlands.
Three mules eastward, on the summit Of tho
idge, stands like mountain of misfortune
ne noted castle OF the late Ben Holiday
.xternaily there Is little beauty in this vast
lie OF gray stone; but in two hours exami-
atlon OF the interior, under the guidance of
ne superintendent, we We're delighted nv the |
uites OF rooms, elegantly finished in oak
merry, walnut, rosewood and mahogany.
.*s
The recent death of Benjami HOLIDAY
y the way, ends a history more romantic
nan the novelist usually portrays The
se OF this man from day laborer and
nan farmer to a millionaire magnste his
afeer OF power in the far west, his connec-
on with the great enterprises of lS5O-7O his
ipsequent failure and the prosecution of his Q
reat claim against the government po 10 q
lake up career impossible in anv other
ountry than the United States. A native of T.
esteln New York, Ben Holiday removed in ,
iriy manhood to western Missouri, where he
issed through the hardships and yicissitudes :
pioneer lie; there his two daughters. of
nom one be- anne countess and the other a n
'roness, passed some years of their youth in p
log cabin, obtaining their early educa- v
on IN the rudest of backwoods school +
'uses MIR. Holiday in the meantime v
'"eVer' acquired some property in live II
ock, and the freighting made necessary nv f.
California emigration gave him his C.
'portunity. In 1867 the "B Y. EXPRESS @
as Established by the Mormops tba ;,;.;, -,